Randal Plunkett, 21st Baron of Dunsany

Randal Plunkett, 21st Baron of Dunsany (born 9 March 1983), is an Irish filmmaker, landowner and rewilding advocate. He holds Dunsany Castle, one of the longest-inhabited houses in Ireland, and its remaining estate.

Lord Dunsany succeeded to the Dunsany title upon the death of his father in May 2011. In his professional life, he has directed a range of film shorts, worked on several dozen other film projects, and provided location and post-production services from his demesne. He produced his first feature film, The Green Sea, in 2018–2019 and released it in 2021. Dunsany became an advocate for rewilding in 2014 and has dedicated around half of the ancestral estate in County Meath as Ireland's largest private nature reserve.

Early life and education Plunkett was born on 8 March 1983 in New York City, where his parents were living at the time operating an architectural and design studio. and the four children grew up together. On the paternal side, he is the great-grandson of the 18th Baron of Dunsany (usually known as Lord Dunsany) and grandson of his half-Brazilian namesake, Lieutenant Colonel Randal Plunkett, an officer in the British Indian Army.

Plunkett subsequently lived with his family in London and at Dunsany Castle. However, encouraged by his parents, he later returned to the idea of working in film, and pursued an intensive course in Digital Video

Peerage succession Plunkett succeeded to the title of Baron of Dunsany on 24 May 2011, upon the death of his father. The low-budget film, with a crew of 40, was based on a concept of Ireland under martial law after social collapse in Europe in 2013, and was released in 2010. Subsequently, it was selected to play Cannes Film Festival.

In 2010, the then Randal Plunkett established Dunsany Productions, a film production company, at Dunsany Castle. It was filmed and produced 2018–2019 but only released, after Covid-related delays, mid-2021. Dunsany was director, scriptwriter and executive producer. Dunsany performed the editing himself, alongside Chris Gill. Plunkett has described the film as having semi-autobiographical influences. Lord Dunsany's work and the film itself were awarded as Best Feature Film at the Paris Play Film Festival, April 2021, Best Indie Feature Film and Best Feature Script at the Florence Film Awards, April 2021, and Best Production and Best Editing at the New York Movie Awards, April 2021.

Rewilding Lord Dunsany is a practitioner of and advocate for rewilding. He became a vegan in 2014, and discovered rewilding around the same time. Dunsany Nature Reserve is Ireland's largest privately owned nature reserve, and as of 2022 is the only Irish rewilding project recognised by the European Rewilding Network. A number of animals have returned to the estate and it has grown in biological diversity. Lord Dunsany has also banned hunting on his lands, which he has said resulted in threats. Small groups are allowed a visit by arrangement, but Dunsany has said he does not plan structured paths and signage, or visitor attraction facilities such as a café. The potential revival of a former railway line which used to pass through the estate near the River Skane has been noted as a concern.

Having previously been in a relationship with Irish actress Emma Eliza Regan, The heir to the castle and estate is their daughter. Dunsany has stated that his child will inherit the property, while as of 2022 the title would still pass elsewhere, due to what he has described as medieval provisions reserving inheritance of most titles to males, but he has expressed hope this situation may be changed. Lord Dunsany is Catholic. Dunsany and Dillon subsequently married.

In 2025, Dunsany published a memoir, which discusses his rewilding work extensively.

Descent